Launching apparatus for aerial torpedos.



afto'uw I 0 7 Patented Oct. 15,1918,

8. S. BENSON.

LAUNCHING APPARATUS FOR AERIAL TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29.19 18.

SHERMAN S. BENSON, OF YORK, NEBRASKA.

LAUnenmG APPARATUS ron ERIAL ronrnnons.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented. Oct. 15, 1918.

Application filed January 29, 1913. Serial 170314356.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERMAN S. BENSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at.

This invention relates to apparatus for i use in launching aerial torpedoes and 1s primarily designed for launching bomb dropping machines such as disclosed in my co-pending application filed July 6, 1917, Serial Number 17 8,991, and in my co-pen'ding application filed July 12, 1917, Serial Number 180,184. a

One of the objects of the invention is to provide mechanism to which the machines to be launched can be supplied readily and rapidly, the machines being carried upwar ly and forwardly at a high speed and wit their propelling mechanisms in operation so that, as the launching mechanism'is disengaged from a machine. said machine will continue its flight in the selected direction and underits own power,

A further object is to provide launching 'mechanism which is simple, durable and ef-. ficient and which is advantageous because it has rotary motion only.

- With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description of the invention proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will be line in Fig. 1,

arrow 2. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionon the same B0 hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that various changes may be made'in the arrangement and proportions of the parts without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim. A

In the accompanying drawings the-preferred form of the invention has been shown. In said drawings-- Figure 1- is a side elevation of the launchin apparatus in use.

' ig. 2 is an enlarged section on the dotted looking in the direction of line but looking in the direction of the arrow 3, the clutch being shown partly in section.

i placed at difi'erent elevations and arranged Referring to the figures by characters of reference ,1 designates a supporting structure provided with spaced parallel shafts 2 on each of these shafts are spaced sprockets 3. Endless chains 4 are mounted on the sprockets and the two chains are connected by cross bars 5 arranged in pairs and each of which has a pair of upwardly diverging horns 6. These horns are extended from short standards 7 which are spaced apart to provide a clearance 8 for the purpose hereinafter pointed out.

The thorns on each pair of bars 5 cooperate to form a cradle for supporting the body A of a bomb dropping-machine from the rear end of which project tail planes B whilea propeller G is provided at the .front end. The front horns of each pair are designated to be engaged by the body of the bomb dropper at the widest portion thereof and the horns to prevent the body Afrom slipping, downwardly upon the cradle engaged thereby. 1

One of the shafts 2 has one member of a friction clutch fastened thereto, a's'shown at 10. A short drive shaft 11 alines with the center of said clutch member and is adapted to be rotated at a high speed by a belt, not shown, driving a pulley 12,'or in any other desired manner. 13 is feathered on shaft 11 and is adapted to be shifted by a lever 14 or. the like, into or out of engagement with the clutch member 10 thus to couple or uncouple the two shafts.

In using the apparatus the machine to be launched 1s deposited on the lowermost cradle. The. clutch member 13 on the the omb dropper will move forwardly under its own power and Withdraw from enagement with its cradle, acilitated by the movement of the cradle which. gives the bomb dropper its initial impulse. As shown in the drawin there is sufiicient room between the chains of the ler .to rotate and, by providing the clear- A friction clutch member this action being I launching mechanism to permit the propelif ance 8 between the horns of each pair the tail planes can pass readily between the horns during the launching operation.

If desired two or more of the bomb droppers may be positioned on the apparatus at one time, one being arranged in front of the other so asto be launched successively.

-What is claimed is The combination with a bomb dropper including a body havinga propeller at its front end and a tail plane, of launching mechanism including inclined endless chains, bars connecting the chains, spaced diverging horns on the bars and forming a cradle engaging the body, means projecting from the body and engaging the fronts of the horns to ,hold theibody position on the cradle,

the chains of the launching mechanism bemg spaced apart to permit rotation of the propeller of the bomb dropper on the cradle,

A SHERMAN s. BENSON. Witnesses v GRAOE EYLER,

W. L. ,KIRKPATRICK. 

